


Jinga Bells

by spikesgirl58



Series: 14 days of Christmas [7]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:02:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28109775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikesgirl58/pseuds/spikesgirl58
Summary: The ever so important ritual of setting out the cookies and milk for Santa.  Jimmy Palmer had no idea.
Series: 14 days of Christmas [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2050131
Comments: 10
Kudos: 15





	Jinga Bells

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Noxelementalistxmas](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Noxelementalistxmas).



“Jinga bells, jinga bells, jinga bells jinga bells jinga bells!” Little Victoria raced around the coffee table and Jimmy Palmer watched her from his spot on the couch. He took off his glasses and squeezed the bridge of his nose, wincing. While he loved his little daughter, four hours of this was starting to wear. He felt cool fingers on his temples, slowly massaging and he leaned into it.

“You have talented fingers, Mrs. Palmer.”

“Thank you, Dr. Palmer.” Breena kissed his forehead. “You should see what I do with other parts of my anatomy.”

He pulled her down into his lap and held her close. “Do you know how much I love you?”

“Mama, sing? Mama? Mama?” Victoria clung to an arm and Breena sighed. “Today someone asked me if we were planning to have another baby anytime soon.”

“We aren’t, are we?”

Breena shook her head. “And when I said that, she asked what sort of birth control I was using.”

“And you said?”

“Toddler in the house.” She picked up their daughter and hugged her, while Jimmy hugged them both.

“Victoria, are you happy that Grandducky is coming for Christmas?” he asked his daughter as she wiggled out of the embrace.

“Yez! Jinga bells, jinga bells.”

Jimmy groaned and Breena kissed him. “Just think how her teacher feels. Come on, munchkin, let’s go to bed.”

“Unca Donnie?” She looked at the door and then back at her mother.

“He’ll be here when you wake up, but you have to go to sleep first.” Breena held Victoria out. “Say good night to Daddy.”

“Night, Daddy.” Jimmy smiled and kissed her.

“Good night, sweetheart. Sweet dreams.”

“Kay!” She raced off, pausing just long enough to pick up a bedraggled stuffed teddy bear she’d named Mr. Muffin.

For about five minutes, Jimmy just sat there, enjoying the quiet. There was music playing softly on the radio and a fire crackling in the fireplace. The house was decorated as much as could be expected with a young one in the house. Above the Victoria zone, everything was bright and shiny.

He looked over at the snow drifting down and hoped his colleague’s plane had landed safely. Why his publisher had to call Dr. Mallard to New York a week before Christmas was a mystery.

There was a knock at their front door and Jimmy glanced at his watch. It was too soon for Dr. Mallard to arrive and he felt a sense of dread coursing through him. There was a part of his job that made him sick to his stomach. Knowing the sort of monsters, real monsters, the team dealt with terrified him, not for his own safety but for that of his small family.

He walked purposefully to the door as the knock happened again. “Yes?”

“It’s me, Mr. Palmer.” The familiar voice of his friend came through to him and Jimmy hurriedly opened the door.

“Doctor!” He grinned at the man. He had a dusting of snow on his shoulders and was surrounded by suitcases. “We weren’t expecting you until much later.”

“There was a break in the storm and I thought it would be wise to make the most of it.”

Jimmy couldn’t help noticing all the suitcases. “You sure pack a lot for a week in New York.” To his amazement, Ducky’s cheeks pinked a bit.

“Well, I might have gone just a bit overboard with my shopping for Victoria this year.”

Jimmy opened his mouth to chastise the man, but couldn’t get the words out. Instead, he gestured inward, “Come in, come in. We have your room ready.”

“My… my room, Mr. Palmer? I don’t understand.”

“We thought since you were just coming back tonight and wouldn’t have a chance to shop, you could stay here and help us celebrate Christmas morning together.”

Ducky’s glasses immediately fogged up as he stepped inside. He took them off and Jimmy smiled at his eyes, madly blinking away tears. He never let on and instead busied himself bringing suitcases in. 

“Why, Jimmy, I would be honored. Are you sure it’s not an imposition? What does Breena think?”

“Breena is thrilled,” she said as she entered the room. She kissed Ducky’s cheek. I can’t think of whom I’d rather spend my Christmas with than my little family and you are a major part of it.” She helped him off with his jacket and hung it neatly. “Now, if you are fast, you might be able to give Victoria a good night kiss before she drifts off. Don’t let her sing, though.”

Ducky laughed and headed back towards his goddaughter’s bedroom.

“He looks good.” Breena said as she watched him climb the stairs.

“He does. Retiring has suited him. He was so afraid he wouldn’t find enough to keep him busy. Now he says he can’t understand how he had time for work.”

“There is hope, after all.” She held out her hand. “Help me with dinner?”

Ducky took another sip of his Scotch and gazed into the fire Jimmy unconsciously mirroring him with his wine. Breena appeared and smiled at the pair.

“I think the Little Princess has dropped off. It’s safe for Santa to come out.”

“Excellent. Another five minutes and I’d be in bed. Doctor, would you like to help?”

Two hours later found the men struggling to assemble a doll house. “I have thought about your question, Jimmy, and I believe the answer is no.”

“What question, Doctor?” Jimmy held up two parts that, according to the directions went together.

“You asked me if I wanted to help.” Ducky reached over, turned one of the parts over and snapped them in place.

“Too late! You are trapped, doomed to the well of Christmas morning exhaustion.” He struggled, but managed to get the piece in place. “Thankfully, that’s the last of it. Anything else and Dad will have to step up to the plate.”

With a grunt, Jimmy got off the floor and stretched. Ducky had made no attempt to join him down there and was still seated comfortably in an overstuffed chair. “I believe this finishes the kitchen.” He passed it over and Jimmy pushed the piece in. 

“Now, just one more task.”

“Oh, dear, if that’s the case, perhaps a bit more Scotch.”

“Naw, this is the easy part.” Jimmy disappeared and returned with a plate of sugar cookies. The icing was smeared and the sprinkles clung on for dear life. There was a card, For Santa, written in Breena’s neat handwriting and with colorful scribbles under it. 

“We can’t forget Santa’s cookies.” He set them down and placed a glass of milk nearby. From the pocket of his sweater, he took some carrots and set them near the milk. “Victoria worked on these cookies for hours.”

“I can tell.” Ducky smiled, nodding sleepily. “There are many theories about why we put cookies and milk out for Santa.”

“Really?”

“There are those who say it has direct links with St. Nichols. Children would leave out food for his helpers on December 6th and the food would be exchanged for gifts.”

Jimmy helped himself to a cookie, then held the plate out the Ducky. Jimmy took a big bite. “Makes sense,” he mumbled through his mouthful.

“Another school of thought has it linked with the Christmas tree. In Germany, they would decorate something called a paradise tree, trimming it with apples wedges and cookies. Santa would snack on the delicious decorations. In Norse mythology, the children would leave out hay and snacks for Odin’s eight-legged horse, Sleipner. The hope was that he would stop and leave a gift in exchange for the food.”

“Eight legs, huh? There’s a joke there, but it escapes me now.” Jimmy finished his cookie and took a deep drink of the milk. He offering it to Ducky, who shook his head.

Ducky paused then to attack his cookie, chewing thoughtfully for a moment. “Even here in America, it was thought that it started with the Great Depression as a way of encouraging children to be thoughtful and to share with others.”

“I like that one best,” Brenna said as she emerged from the kitchen. “I think it’s probably time for all good Santa’s helpers to be in bed.”

“One thing I have learned in all of this, Doctor. Never argue with Mrs. Santa.” He looked down at the plate, now empty except for some crumbs. 

“Very wise advice.” Ducky held up his glass. “To your very good health, Dr. Palmer.” He nodded to Breena. “To your very fine wife and your darling little daughter. Thank you for letting me be part of your life.”

Jimmy held up his glass of milk and Breena her glass of wine. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. After, all, you’re family and family is what this time is all about.”

“Hear, hear,” Breena murmured, sniffing a bit. “To family, blood or otherwise.”

“And to many, many more Christmases together!”

Glasses touched and three people sat, friends, colleagues, family, happy together.


End file.
